Sometimes I wonder if Jesus was aware of all the people that hated Him and who were out to get Him. Really get Him.
If He worried about the blunt force of their aggression and their words and all the religious testosterone being stirred up around Him for simply telling the truth.
Or if He simply decided not to allow the swirling masses of hatred to bother Him.
If He went about his daily business doing “His Father’s work” and focused on the woman who touched his robe or the child who needed healed. Maybe He was the Great Compartmentalizer and was able to put aside the “haters” in His mind and do what was right and needed and good for the people He walked with and for the people of the world.
I’m sure He loved the haters. I know He loved the haters. But did He let them bother Him? I don’t know if He did.
Maybe He allowed their words and actions to infiltrate His mind as He saw them as scared and wounded and as products of their religion. Maybe His compassion for them went so far as to forgive before they’d even begun to do the hateful things they did.
Maybe he was generous with grace and overflowing with love for even the haters of His day.
Can we be as generous?
Good question!!!
thank you Scott!
Sarah
I can only speak as a recipient of His incredible grace and healing time and time again. I have gone and am going through a lot of pain – some of which will be with me the rest of my life. The grace and love He pours down on me as I struggle with this is more than sufficient to break the depression and make me realize the joy I have in the cross and realizing: YES – IT WAS FOR ME!!! When you get to that point is where He rolls up His sleeves and goes to work. The scriptures that dragged me through all of this and more are: Isa 54:17, Rom 8:28, 1 Cor 10:13, 2 Cor 12:9, and James 1:2. I am so undeserving, but yet He proves these passages true time and time again. I am forever changed by it.
Thanks,
Scott
wow scott! yes!! i’m a recipient of that same grace. i love it. thank you so much for commenting!
YW!!! His grace is beyond amazing – and I am living proof of it.
Thank you Scott! I’m going to look up those passages. Thanks!
I have prayed for his composure in the face of opposition. He was so steady. So assured and rested. I pray for that. I think He was always so aware of Reality. Of our Father, that He had holy confidence and gracious love always.
beautifully said, kathy. thank you!
” Maybe His compassion for them went so far as to forgive before they’d even begun to do the hateful things they did.”
sitting with this one.
love you girl. =)
This is only possible with God’s love in our hearts. It’s easy for us to get stuck in that hurt and anger and not forgive. But it’s no way to live. Miserable. Bitter. Angry. Yuck. I’ve learned that unconditional love encompasses unconditional forgiveness. God has shown me unconditional love and has given me the strength, love and grave to share this with my husband. Doesn’t matter what he’s done to hurt me. God expects me to love him even when it feels like he doesn’t deserve. Perhaps that’s when I must love him the most. Afterall love never fails! And more importantly all things are possible with God!
yes they are cortne!!! =)
You know Sarah, I think we should really consider the power that gave Jesus the wisdom, revelation, the knowledge to do exactly what He was called to without sin. His life was incredible and there were those that hated—even hated by loving themselves and their own lives more than Him. Yet He prevailed with love and forgiveness and moved forward toward the fulfillment of divine purpose. What is amazing to me is that Paul tells us in Ephesians 1 that that same power works in us–that we have the opportunity to have the same wisdom, knowledge and revelation as Jesus. At least Paul prayed that we would. Because of Christ and the power that worked in Him, we can love the haters.
i agree dea. i love the way you put that!
I loved this, Sarah. Love Him. Love you.
*Thank you.*
Yes, yes, yes.
thank you friend!
Thank you for helping us , Sarah, to learn and grow in grace, in Jesus! God bless you!
bless you too debbie. it’s an honor that i don’t take lightly. thank you.
Sarah, wow! What you wrote today has made me think and think and think!!! I even have images in my mind of Jesus focusing on love and healing while ignoring the hate. “religious testosterone” that’s great btw!! All the things that you wrote today in the form of questions — I’ve been blessed. Thank you Sarah.
thank you so much suzanne =)